Team Halter vs Team Bridle

Very serious, very important post for Friday, guys. I need to decide what Presto will wear for FEH Championships. We have the option of halter or bridle for yearlings, and he’s shown in both now. I can’t quite decide which one is my preference.

The halter is a Kavalkade Ivy, black with a unique shape, white stitching, and chrome hardware. I have a black leather with chrome hardware lead shank that goes with it (not in the photos, obviously). I do like the simplicity of a halter, as does Presto. It gives me a tad bit less control when it comes to handling, but not enough to where I think it makes much of a difference.

His bridle is dark brown with dark brown stitching, very plain and simple, from the Lund Saddlery eventer series. It’s a bit tight at the crown/brow but totally workable. With this I’d be using a dark brown newmarket shank like this, or I could use reins. He can sometimes get a bit chompy in the bit, but with how distracted he’ll be in the ring, I doubt that would be an issue.

I’m pretty torn. They both have their pros and cons, and I can’t really decide which looks better. His ears look freaking GIANT in both. Oh wait, that’s because they are.

If it makes a difference, I’m wearing a black polo/helmet/gloves with khakis.

Just judging by the photos I would say halter. It seems to fit better and he looks relaxed and softer. The bridle looks snug and too grown-up for his baby face. He also looks stiff and has a worried eye, at least in those pictures.

Hmmm I’m trying to think of how clean a leather lead with a shank will look with the halter. I went ahead and watching some of the videos from the FEH Championships at Twin Rivers in 2017. Definitely a mix of halters and bridles. I noticed that the halters tended to move around the horse’s faces more as they were being handles, vs the bridles which stayed put and were, in my opinion, less distracting. Both are great options tho!

Hmmm. I can see why you’re torn, but I’d go with the halter. I do like the bridle on him – the cob fits him nicely and makes him look grown up, but….I dunno I think aesthetically the bit draws my eye and it ends up looking too big on his dainty face. The halter fits him well, and I think the fancy stitching and dark color are fancy enough and really show off the white on his face. But that’s just me 🙂

So tricky! Presto would look cute even if you tied a piece of bailing twine around his face 🙂 But I think I like the bridle better bc it lets him shine more. My eye kept getting pulled to the fancy stitching and chrome buckle on the halter (which is gorgeous) but for the bridle I found myself looking at just Presto.

I vote bridle. I think it makes him look more grown up and if you think you’ll have more control with it, that’s never a bad thing really. I feel like the cheek pieces on the bridle give his face a more refined look vs. the more scooped cheeks on the halter?

I think the bridle gives me a bit more control over his feet when it comes to the conformation part of things, like it’s a wee bit easier to stand him up and keep him still/straight. At least it is when I have reins, because I can have a hand on each rein.

I think yearlings should be in halters. But that is only because I have seen some babies do really stupid things and then get jammed in the mouth as the handler tries to get them back under control.

I like the bridle look, but only if you aren’t handling a baby kite. It does give better control. But I also prefer them to be super solid with the bit and taking them for a lot of walks and off property with it before trying it.

Either way he will look good. It is a lovely stable looking halter, and a bridle he can carry well.

Team halter for sure. To me the bridle looks bulky and makes his head look small and very “toddler in its mothers high heels”, whereas the halter seems to show off his face and really compliment him to the point of looking more refined and mature.

Yeah neither cob or horse size fit June, cob was too small in the noseband and horse too small in the browband. It’s a bummer because its a beautiful bridle at an amazing pricepoint. Maybe I’ll treat myself to a halter instead lol

As an Arab person, personally I like the bridle better. It’s a nice dark color and seems (at least in the pics) to blend in well into his coat color. The halter being so dark just stands out. Also for you, depends on how he would react in either or. We won’t be the ones on the other side of the shank. 😀

Halter. The bit ring on the bridle looks awkward to me; while the halter just looks well-fitted and appropriate. I think if you can expect him to behave in a halter, go with that. Unless you think he will “lose points” for not wearing a bridle.

I’m on Team Halter. It’s very elegant so it gives that sophisticated look, it seems like it fits him better and I think overall it’s less distracting. I agree with the person who said the bridle feels a bit too much like “toddler in Mother’s heels.” But they’re both quite lovely so if you decide you need the control and polish of the bridle, have at it!